A Beautiful Shining Light
by CdnJAGScribe
Summary: With a final victory over the First Order, Leia's work is done (A Carrie Fisher Tribute).


_Author's Note: I don't own Star Wars. Disney does. Simple as that._

A twinge of unbearable pain…that constricted the heart that brought her from the brink of unconscious sleep; the pain stole away her breath and the world faded away to black. She didn't register the cries of those around her.

 _Oh, Han, oh Ben…_

She had mourned her dead husband for many years. With the Saleucamic victory over the First Order, she had lost her son, cut down by Chewie's bowcaster bolt, just before the Wookiee was cut down himself in a hail of bolts from First Order troopers. They had won their final decisive conquest over the First Order, but with a monumental loss of blood and the result of the final battle with the multitude of casualties hearkened back to the Clone Wars Siege of Saleucami with the words of Aayla Secura rising again from the history holos ringing in General Organa's ears. " _So this is what victory feels like. After all this time—all this blood—so… hollow._ "

One in two Resistance squadrons never made it back from the final battle; one in three troopers was cut down. And the battle had resulted in bodies of both sides littered across the battleground. The cost of triumph over the First Order and its dark ambitions for the galaxy was too much to bear, Leia had said, but they had to suffer payment of blood, sweat and tears for peace to reign and so the Resistance had fought, suffered and died to bring about that victory.

At first when they had started out, the Resistance had nothing, other than a few fighters; scant troops and a hope that they would be able to overcome the encroaching darkness as the Republic wanted nothing more than to stick their heads in the sand and remain unresponsive to the threat. As the Resistance had exposed the lies and the threat that the First Order presented to the galaxy, they had, as the Rebel Alliance had so many years before, gathered strength and their first capital ships…and again Princess, now General Leia Organa had orchestrated the building of the Resistance to the point where they could begin to cache victories against the First Order.

It had been a long hard fight and Leia knew that with this final victory, her aged body was giving out. Just hours before, she had celebrated one of the last celebrations of their triumph over the First Order; and she had stood beside Luke and Rey as an emblem of that victory. It appeared to be a passing of the torch as Finn stood beside Rey. How many had they lost? There were many faces from the outset of the campaign against the First Order who no longer stood with them.

While she stood there gazing out at the assembled throng, so few in number, she'd noted the fact that it felt final; that she had done her work and that there was nothing left to do; nothing left to live for. "I miss Han…" she'd said to her brother who nodded sadly. "I miss Ben and Chewie." She'd stated with emotion evident in her eyes.

 _Death wasn't so bad_ , Leia thought as she gazed into the mists that whirled around her. Seeing her brother and Rey: the two Jedi kneeling by her side where she had collapsed, their faces contorted in grief, did send a pang of regret roiling within her. But the heartbreak that she had carefully hid behind her General face for as long as it took to achieve her goals had done its damage. She looked down at her own form which shimmered blue. She saw her own body on the floor as those around her tried to resuscitate her, but it was evidently clear that she had gone beyond the point of being able to be resuscitated; even if she wanted to go back. Her body had given up her life essence and it was final.

 _:Death isn't so bad_.: A voice emanated around her, as the blue shimmering form of Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared before her. _:_ I _t is the transference of your essence to the Force.:_

 _:My mother, Han… what about those I know?:_ She asked as the form moved towards her.

 _:Those without Force sensitivity will find it more difficult to communicate with you, Leia._ _But rest assured, they are here in the embrace of the Force.:_ Obi-Wan nodded towards her. _:The simple fact that you are able to communicate via Force Telepathy, means that you are strong in the Force. Most Force Users are very limited when it comes to that ability.:_

 _:This nerf-herder of yours is bugging the kriff out of me.:_ Another blue shimmering form, taller than Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared beside her with a rather put-upon expression on his luminous blue tinged face.

 _Anakin Skywalker…Darth Vader!_ Leia had thought her pent up emotions over her father had resolved themselves. She found that assumption was erroneous. A welling of anger towards her father stole over her and she snapped. _:Maybe you shouldn't have tortured him on Bespin then!:_

If a Force-ghost could look pained, Anakin Skywalker was the very epitome of it. He looked downcast and replied remorsefully, _:It has always been a regret of mine. Especially after the two of you got together. I just wish that he didn't run when Ben turned to the Dark Side.:_

 _:So it wasn't you that was feeding him with dark side compulsions?:_ Leia asked with no small amount of sarcasm in her mind-voice.

 _:No…that was all Snoke's doing:_

 _:It didn't help that he had an unhealthy obsession with his grandfather.:_ Leia opined acidly.

 _:Oh…wow…:_ A rather indistinct form tried to coalesce beside Leia and she felt a breeze as it reached out to touch her hand but his mind voice seemed familiar, _:So…That's how the Force works.:_ There was an element of surprise in the voice that he had accomplished this feat.

Anakin rolled his eyes. _:Using the Force to transcend death and communicate to other beings is just the tip of the vast wealth of knowledge that one attains.:_ Anakin commented, his force ghost raising an eyebrow in an expression that just reeked of sarcasm; much like his old mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi.

 _:Nerfherder, is that you?:_ Leia asked.

 _:Yeah, Princess…I guess my verbal personality is much stronger than my ability to use the Force.:_ Han said. _:I don't think I can hold this form for very long…"_

 _:I missed you, Han.:_ Leia stated, turning to the wavering Force Ghost of her beloved as she shot an acid look at her father who was rolling his eyes. _:Oh…shut up, you!:_ Anakin looked at her innocently.

 _:I didn't say anything:_ He protested.

 _:I know:_ Han said in reply to Leia's affirmation of longing for him.

Leia grinned at Han, between the two of them they were going to have so much fun torturing her father. Evidently the evil grin on her face was not lost on Anakin as he took on a look of horrified realization.

The translucent wavering form of her beloved reached out his hand to take hers… _:I've missed you. Welcome home, Princess…:_

Rest In Peace; Carrie Fisher (1956-2016)


End file.
